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Student Seminar: Lanthanide-Based Hydrogen-bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs): Advances in Biomimetic and Intelligent Sensing

by | Mar 26, 2025 | research | 0 comments

Student Seminar
 
Name: Ms. Astha Tyagi
 
Title: Lanthanide-Based Hydrogen-bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs): Advances in Biomimetic and Intelligent Sensing
      Date & Time: Thursday, 27th March 2025 at 4.00 p.m. 
     Venue: Rajarshi Bhattacharya Memorial  Lecture Hall, Chemical Sciences Building
Abstract:  
 
Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a distinct category of crystalline porous materials assembled through hydrogen bonding and other weak intermolecular interactions, positioning them as a versatile platform for multifunctional applications. Aromatic subunits in most HOF linkers contribute to intrinsic luminescence upon ultraviolet excitation. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in functionalized HOFs for luminescence-responsive sensing, driven by their strong fluorescence/phosphorescence, solution-processability, and excellent biocompatibility.1 By incorporating foreign functional species especially lanthanide ions these frameworks gain additional luminescent centres and specific recognition capabilities, enabling robust detection of chemical analytes and physical stimuli.2
Among functionalized HOFs, lanthanide-functionalized HOFs (Ln@HOFs) represent a key subclass, combining the intrinsic photoluminescence of the HOF host with the characteristic emission of lanthanide ions. These dual-luminescent materials exhibit sensitive on/off or ratiometric changes in response to external stimuli, including gases, organic pollutants, carcinogens, pesticides, drugs, and biomarkers. Beyond simple sensing, Ln@HOFs open the door to intelligent and biomimetic designs, leveraging multiple emission modes to emulate natural sensory functions.3
In this seminar, I will introduce the fundamentals of hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), explain how they differ from MOFs and COFs, and discuss the advantages of lanthanide functionalization. I will then showcase three case studies illustrating how lanthanide-based HOFs can mimic different human senses. In the first, Tb³⁺-functionalized HOFs serve as a “smart multiple photoresponsive tongue,” capable of distinguishing umami, sour, and bitter tastes.4 In the second, Eu³⁺-functionalized HOF sponge integrates auditory and olfactory signals through a backpropagation neural network, mimicking human sensory fusion for sound and chemical detection.5 Finally, a dual-luminescent Eu³⁺-functionalized HOF system, coupled with a DenseNet deep-learning algorithm, demonstrates an artificial vision platform for rapid cancer biomarker detection with over 99% accuracy.6
References:
  1. (1)         Lin, R.-B.; Chen, B. Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks: Chemistry and Functions. Chem 2022, 8 (8), 2114–2135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2022.06.015.
  1. (2)         Xu, X.; Ma, W.; Yan, B. An Electrodeposited Nano-Porous and Neural Network-like Ln@HOF Film for SO 2 Gas Quantitative Detection via Fluorescent Sensing and Machine Learning. J Mater Chem A Mater 2021, 9 (46), 26391–26400. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1TA08431C.
  1. (3)         Zhang, Z.; Yan, B. Convolution Neural Network-Assisted Smart Fluorescent-Tongue Based on Lanthanide Ion-Induced Forming MOF/HOF Composite for Differentiation of Flavor Compounds and Wine Identification. ACS Sens 2023, 8 (9), 3585–3594. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.3c01273.
  1. (4)         Zhang, Z.; Yan, B. Smart Multiple Photoresponsive Tongue for Sensing Umami, Sour and Bitter Tastes Based on Tb 3+ Functionalized Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks. Adv Funct Mater 2024, 34 (25). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202316195.
  1. (5)         Zhu, K.; Yan, B. Biomimetic Eu@HOF Photoactivated Sponge as Ultrasensitive Auditory and Olfactory Sensor for Infrasound Wave Monitoring and Bimodal Information Integration. Adv Funct Mater 2024, 34 (32). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202401395.
  1. (6)         Hu, Z.; Yan, B. Deep Learning-Assisted Intelligent Artificial Vision Platform Based on Dual-Luminescence Eu(III)-Functionalized HOF for the Diagnosis of Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Anal Chem 2023, 95 (51), 18889–18897. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04624.